Daily Republican., 1887-05-31
Discriminating Laws.


attention to Wilmington politics and
says Il 10 amusing to. hear the hepupn-
ca cry over the downfall OF the kepuD'
Iiosn party in Wilmington. This 10 We
0oufess strongly the truth. Any party
th.t 10 shattered by injustice and dis
hone.ty 10 entitled to sympathy, especi-
ally when 1t becomes the victim OF tyr
rsnuy. "The people for years tried
running the city under Republican rule
and found that 1t did not advance their
Interests, and they turned them out OF
offi 80 ard put Democrats In power and
KEPT them there" Oar content orary
10 nisisken. The people were very
weii sa..sfied with Republican rule, but
the Democratic politicians were mot.
The latter wanted the Offices and they
could not get them by the vote OF the
people. Up to 1873 Democratic May
or Of Wilmington was . thing IN
known except to citizens we'll advanc'
ed In years. The people were on the
Rspu bl!csn side, but the State govern.
men, and the Legislature, which we're
stronger than the people OF Whining
ton. and which we're Democratic, came
to the aid OF the Demooratic politicians
by changing the assessment laws OF the
STATE. Does our Dover contemporary
re,oI,ect the session Of 1873? The gen.
fai editor WAS around about there al
the time. Does he recollect " Seoreta-
~, then Senator BsyArd's endorsement
OF the change In the law? He is not
Ignorant OF this successful attemps to
cheat Republicans out OF their votes BY
cheating the counties out OF their
sAxer.
New Castle County had . Republi-
oan delegation In the Legislature 1t
that session, aud fought this iniquitous
change in the law at every step, but
two counties were more than one, and
twenty Democratic members In the
Legislature from these two counties
considerably outvoted ten members
from Nsw Castle County, and the act
had no other motive in the world than
to enable Democratic collectors OF taxes
TO buildozs enough Republicans ont Of
their votes to let the Democrats into
over, became q law. Tho people OF
Wilmington had nothing whatever to
do with this change In the law, but
Democratic politicians had all TO do
with IL. The change in the assessment
laws and the laws concerning the COL
lection OF taxes did tbs work intended
and that nothing else could have done.
Then commenced the election OF Demo.
cratic Mayors OF Wilmington. Mayor
Himms was the first elected under the
changed law. He had considerably
less than o hundred majority while the
hands OF thousand or two Republicans
were tied behind their backs by the
new Ia VS.. But this was not enough.
While the Democrats, by the aid OF q
friendly Lsgislature, could elect their
Mayer, they could not elect msjori-
ty OF TIE City Council. The Legtsla-
turs had to be appealed to repeatedly
before the Democratic politicians could
succeed In 30 gerrymanding the wards
that they could elect tina majority OF
the City Council. But they have got
there 81 last. They have plan now
which Is sure pop every time.
Democratic tax collectors can flood
the city with tax receipts for Demo-
Gratis cnly, bus for Republicans none.
BAIL ID and fooled year after year In
the vain attempt to get taelr taxes paid
even when assessed, thousands Of them
have ceased to pay taxes and ceased to
vote. The vote which will be cast next
Saturday will bs 30 small as to elicit q
genuine contempt for so-called popular
elections. Instead Of some Ia, 600 votes
being polled, as should be compared to
ths natural vote of other cities, 1t IL
very doubtful II half that number Of
votes will be rolled. The I,emoorat
will win, Of course th-.sy will. What Il
70 hin6s< Fem? A party that havini
shf e-ower deliberately, by discrimina
eng ia ws, disfranchises one-third OF tn
voters in = party opposed to 1t Is har'
to beat on Q popular vote, but whel
that same party 30 gerrymanders tn
wards Of the city 30 that that part OF J
which is soiid!y Democratic and wit
about 25, 900 population, elects fourtee
members OF the City Council. while tina
part OF it so,idly Republican, with 80
600 population, elects only ten mem
be,s, then participating In elections bt
comes about practically useless. In
Delawaresn nd vises us to be manly
and acknowledge that the city Is Dsmt
cratic. We decline the advice, beeaus
We know that with undiscriminstin
laws, with . full assessment, fu
vote aud fair count the city would 81,
nj least one thousand majority for Il
Republican party.